Continuing its drive against non-filers, the income tax department on Monday sent letters to another 35,000 such assessess for not filing tax returns, taking the total number of these letters to 1.75 lakh. The I-T Department has identified around 12 lakh assessees who have not filed their returns.

"As part of its ongoing initiative, the I-T department has sent today letters to another batch of 35,000 non-filers," the finance ministry said in a statement. With this, the department has now issued letters to 1.75 lakh high priority assessees."The response to this initiative has been very encouraging and a large number of taxpayers have paid taxes and filed I-T returns," the statement said.

A compliance management cell has been set-up to monitor return filing and tax payment of the target segment, it added. The letter contained the summary of the information of financial transaction(s) along with a customized response sheet. The government plans to collect over Rs 6.68 lakh crore from direct taxes in the current fiscal, up from Rs 5.65 lakh crore in the previous fiscal.

Meanwhile, top I-T officials will meet here for two days beginning tomorrow to discuss ways to augment revenue collection and widen tax base. Preliminary assessment of results of the letters sent show that a large number of taxpayers have filed return of income and paid self assessment tax.

The finance ministry further asked tax payers to disclose their true income and pay appropriate taxes within the current financial year.